Nigerians Govt begins evacuation of Nigerians from Lebanon amid escalating crisis

The Federal Government has initiated plans to evacuate Nigerians residing in Lebanon who wish to return home as the crisis in the Middle Eastern country worsens.

In a statement released on Friday by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the government confirmed that a multi-stakeholder meeting had been convened to assess the situation of Nigerians in Lebanon and coordinate the evacuation process.

The crisis, which intensified in September 2024, has led to large-scale cross-border attacks, claiming over 1,000 lives and leaving 6,352 people injured in just two weeks, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

This brings the total fatalities since the conflict escalated in October 2023 to more than 1,800, with 9,100 people injured.

IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix reported that as of September 30, 2024, a staggering 346,209 people had been internally displaced, with over 31,000 families (137,000 individuals) living in 820 collective shelters.

The conflict has also forced more than 175,000 Lebanese and Syrians to flee into Syria.

In response, NEMA confirmed it had begun mobilizing Nigerian citizens in Lebanon for evacuation.

The agency assured that the process is underway, with efforts to bring citizens home progressing steadily.

“The leader of the Nigerian community, through a telephone conversation, acknowledged the support provided by the Nigerian Mission in Lebanon, particularly in ensuring the safe relocation of citizens from high-risk areas. No Nigerian lives have been lost so far,” the statement added.

Nigerians wishing to be evacuated have been advised to report to the Nigerian Embassy in Beirut for profiling ahead of the planned airlift.

The government remains committed to ensuring the safe return of its citizens amid the ongoing crisis.